- Fixing a squeaky door
- Fixing a door that doesn’t close properly
- Fixing a door that swings open on its own
- Replacing door hardware or securing loose hardware
Any of these repairs will cost less than replacing the entire door and will make your life easier. Who doesn’t want to close a door quietly and easily without it sticking or squeaking? Doors should hang straight and locks should be easy to use. If these are problems you face in your home, let me fix them for you.
There are cases, however, when a door just needs to be replaced. It may be outdated, or damaged beyond repair. Or, you may just want to create a new style and feel in your home.
5 Questions to Ask when Considering Door Replacement
1. Is your door old or damaged?
Doors that are used frequently can suffer a lot of wear and tear. Dogs, children, and even responsible adults can leave scratches, dings, and smudges. Most of these things can be fixed with some TLC, however, some damaged doors would cost more money to repair then to replace.
So how do you know when it is time to replace your door? There are a few things to consider.
Are you ready to upgrade the look of your home? A new door can instantly spruce up a room.
Would your door cost a lot of money to repair? It is probably time to replace it.
Either way, if you are looking to install some new doors, give me a call.
2. Do your doors constantly need repair or do they feel “cheap”?
Are your doors routinely damaged? Does every sound travel right through your closed door?
If you answered yes to the above, it may be time to switch out your old hollow core doors for something more durable and secure.
But what is a hollow core door?
Hollow Core Doors
A hollow core door is constructed by sandwiching a honeycomb core of cardboard or plastic between a thin layer of wood or fiberboard. This type of construction allows for more sound travel between rooms when the doors are closed. More noise and less privacy. They are also not as structurally sound and can be damaged easily.
If all of your interior doors are hollow core, they are more likely to be damaged by normal use.
What is the solution?
Solid Core Doors
Solid core doors are constructed with composite or engineered wood that can be covered with a thin wood veneer. This type of construction decreases the noise transmitted through the door. Solid core doors also withstand a lot more abuse than hollow core doors.
Overall, solid core doors just feel higher quality.
By upgrading to solid core doors, you can make your home more appealing. However, solid core doors can cost up to two times more than hollow core doors. Further, a real solid wood door will be even pricier.
A Good Compromise
A good compromise when choosing a solid core vs hollow core door would be to purchase solid core doors for bedroom and bathroom doors and use hollow core doors for closet doors where sound is not an issue.
What About Exterior Doors?
It is typical to desire sturdier doors for your exterior entrances in your home. This is especially true for your front door. Not only does your front door make a loud statement in the overall appearance of your house, but it plays a big role in the security of your home.
As mentioned early, not all doors are created equal. For instance, when we purchased a fixer upper for our family a couple of years ago, the front door was in terrible shape. The veneer was falling off, there was water damage, and this hollow core door could have easily been broken into. Not to mention, it was a big eye sore. By replacing the existing door with a solid wood door with sidelights, not only did we make our home more secure, but it added some major curb appeal.
Increase Security
Another component of making a home more secure could be upgrading your simple key lock with a numbered keypad. Not only will the keypad allow access to your home if you forget your key, but it can also be convenient for caretakers of the elderly or hard of hearing. Children can also access their home without the fear of losing the house key.
If you are ready to make your home more secure with a solid door and updated lock, I can help you.
3. Are you looking to improve the Curb Appeal of your home?
New doors are a great way to improve and add value to your home. A good door with some natural light can greatly impact the aesthetic and curb appeal of your home.
Doors are used in almost every room in the house and act as a gateway not only into your home, but also to each individual space inside. New doors may be what you are missing to tie all your spaces together and make your home more inviting.
Natural light can greatly improve the look and feel of your home as well. There are many ways natural light can be added. For example, installing a front door with a window or sidelights can let the natural light in. Adding a sliding glass door into the backyard will make access easy and light up the room. This will create a warm and cheerful environment.
If privacy is a concern, frosted glass can also be used which will still let in light but keep curious eyes out.
If you desire more natural light in your house or need that extra something to tie your spaces together, replacing some existing doors can be the way to go.
4. Can door replacements make your home more accessible?
Do you have small doors and large furniture? Do you need to bring your home up to ADA compliance for a disabled family member?
Changing and upgrading your doors can increase accessibility in your home in several ways.
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) recommends doorways be at least 32″ wide. Widening doorways to replace small doors with larger ones will open up all areas of the home for loved ones and make it easier to get around.
Tight doorways also make it difficult to move furniture in and out of rooms. It is not always necessary to widen a doorway by removing the sheetrock and moving the studs, simply replacing the hinges on a door can make a doorway wider.
Other areas of your home that could be made more accessible are your closets and pantries. In older homes, it is common to have a single door access to your closet. This makes it difficult to reach all your clothes and store things efficiently. Simply widening the closet opening and installing a sliding barn door or bifold doors to your closet can make closet access a lot easier.
5. Can door replacements make your home more functional?
A wrong door in the wrong place can cause unneeded frustration in your home. Doors that open too near each other can bang together causing damage. Some spaces just don’t function well with a normal swinging door.
In our laundry room, for instance, we moved the washer and dryer to a more functional spot. However, this made the swinging door inconvenient. We had to close the laundry room door to access the dryer.
We recently tore out the old door and installed a barn door to solve the problem. Now there is plenty of room for the dryer to open. It also makes our laundry room feel a lot bigger. Double bonus!
Pocket doors can be convenient too, if you do not have the wall space for a barn door. A pocket door will slide in and out of the wall, which saves space that a normal swinging door would take up. Pocket doors are commonly used in small bathrooms or spaces with multiple doors in a close area.
Whatever your door repair or replacement needs are, I can help bring your vision to life. Do you have an awkward room design? Give me a call and we can try to solve the problem.
Contact Me Today For Your Next Door Repair
Contact me today for a free estimate on your next door repair or replacement, or fill out this form and I will be in touch with you soon.
(737) 232-9152
